Travel Journal with Lisa Sonora Beam: Proof From a Groupie

   ~by Emily Cline
It's no secret I heArt Lisa Sonora Beam. I do. I really do. From the moment I latched onto her book "The Creative Entrepreneur", I was a big fan. Then I attended her Creative Entrepreneuer ReTreat in Puerto Vallarta and became an official inspired, awe-mazed, loyal art-junkie groupie.

Lisa is on a short "homesick for the US" tour right now, teaching a couple of workshops while she stocks up on art supplies for her new studio in Oaxaca, Mexico, and last weekend, Heather Arndt of Happy Los Angeles hosted her Crafting the Visual Memoir: Artful Traveler Journals one-day workshop. I'm still processing it all and didn't get very far on Saturday, but lemme show you what I put together so far:

This is my cover: the center b & w photo by Heather Arndt opens up to offer a peek at a gorgeous gardenia.

We folded colored 8 1/2 x 11" paper in half, then added in pretty paper that we "cut" with rulers. Color palettes appeared on their own.

I added stamps and tapes (thanks for the pretty tape share, Heather!)

This spread's right-hand page is made up of three separate tabs. The left-hand side has a dots and spray marks from a paint pen I quickly demo-ed.

We tore pictures from magazines and cataloges.

I taped in a business card from a tattoo parlor -- not just because it was interesting, but because I am obsessed with getting another tattoo.

I added washi tape (bordering the tree and raven?/crow? silhouette) and pasted in one of my man's old subway tickets.

Lisa demonstrated how to paint our own paper with old credit cards (pink). I layered the front of a stationary notecard (white) from my mom on top.

We talked about how difficult it can be to use -- let alone look at! -- photos of ourselves, and Lisa showed us how to fall in love with them by glueing them down, putting masking tape on top (I forgot to here), then painting on, over, and around it, and finally writing and scratching words and doodles on top. I love the photo now!

We chose our favorite image(s) and wrote down descriptive words about the image(s) to mark where we are in our life's journey. (I'm "repainting my life, while fun, demanding little beings vie for my attention", and I'm to "keep my wisdom about me!")

It was a great class, over way too quickly, but as a fervent LSB groupie, I know she will be in New York for a Doodlebugheart workshop soon! We'll keep you posted!
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***What's next?***

Gather & Giggle! Come to Larchmont Sunday, July 15 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. for our monthly crafting date, $10 at the door. We'll make our own little travel journals!
RSVP at: http://www.meetup.com/Doodlebughearts-Gather-Giggle/
or Info@Doodlebugheart.com